You're safe: The first time
by 2903
Summary: The first time Hotch helps Emily after a nightmare. Mentioned in "You're Safe"


The first time:

JJ woke to the sound of moaning and a loud thump.

Blearily, she opened her eyes and sat up.

"Huh? Emily?"

She looked over at the empty bed next to hers.

Where is she? JJ began to think, but was interrupted by a soft cry coming from inside the room.

She got up to investigate, walking over to the far side of the empty bed.

There, lay Emily Prentiss, in a tangle on sheets, thrashing around and occasionally crying out.

The scene made JJ's heart hurt for her.

She knelt down, and gently touched Emily's shoulder.

"Em, Emily honey wake up"

Emily shot up from her spot on the ground, attempting to stand up, her legs constructed in the sheet and she fell sideways into the bedside table, smacking her head on the corner.

"Oh, Em", JJ gasped.

Emily met JJ's eyes with a terrified look, and began to sob. Blood ran down the cut on her face. JJ went to wipe the blood before it dripped into her eye, but Emily flinched away and began to cry harder.

JJ was starting to panic. She'd never been in this situation before. She loved Emily, she was her best friend, and now, Emily seemed terrified of her.

"Emily, hey, it's okay. It's just me. It's just JJ"

Whatever familiarity JJ was trying to get Emily to recall, wasn't registering with Emily. She was still trapped in her nightmare. JJ's heart broke as she saw Emily trying to cower farther away from her into the corner.

Stepping away to give her some space, JJ moved back over to her bed and grabbed her phone off the bedside table. She knew the person she needed was only down the hall of the hotel, but she didn't want to risk leaving Emily alone for a few minutes.

After 2 rings, a voice answered the phone. "JJ? What's wrong?"

JJ hesitates before answering shakily, "Something- something's wrong with Emily. I - uh I think she had a nightmare and she's freaking out and she fell and hit her head. I don't know what to do Hotch." She began to tear up at the end and Hotch picked up on it.

"I'll be right there.", he said before hanging up.

Seconds later, there was a soft knock at the door, and Emily let out a startled cry and began whimpering.

JJ opened the door for Hotch, who stepped in and scanned his eyes across the room before landing them on Emily. The sight of her balled up in between the nightstand and the bed made his heart constrict. He saw the bleeding cut on her forehead and cringed. An injury did not help in these types of situations.

Cautiously, he approached her. "Emily, hey Emily", he said. She whimpered again and hid her head.

"Shh Shh Emily honey," he sat down next to her, "It's just me. It's just Hotch. You're okay." She didn't move, but her crying quieted slightly.

"Can you hear me, Em? It's okay honey you're safe. It's just me and JJ. You're safe."

Slowly, she lifted her head from where it was hidden between her knees, and looked up at him.

"H-Hotch?" She whispered with tears still trailing down her cheeks.

"Yes, I'm right here. You had a bad dream. You're okay. You're safe."

She bit her lip to try and stop crying as her surroundings started to reveal themselves. She was in her hotel room she shared with JJ. But remnants of her dream still lingered with her, causing her to shake with fear.

"I-I'm so scared Hotch" she confessed as she let out a sob. Hotch didn't know what she had dreamt about, but it really had taken a toll on her.

"Here, come here. Let me hold you."

He pulled her up and into his arms on his lap, being careful of her head wound.

The second Emily was in his arms, she wrapped herself around him tightly and began to sob into his shoulder. The sound was painful to both Hotch and JJ. He rubbed her back gently and shushed her, before turning to JJ.

"If you want, you can steal my bed. My key card is right there" he pointed to the table. "You should get some sleep. I'll take care of her and put her to bed." He whispered. Emily was still clinging to him crying.

"Okay", she replied quietly. He could tell she was still shaken by the entire ordeal. He smiled at her gently and said "Get some rest JJ".

She grabbed his key card and her go bag, before pulling open the door and looking back at the two.

"Take care of her Hotch." She said, looking worriedly at her best friend, crying in his lap.

"I will.", he said sincerely. And she knew he was telling the truth.

After the door closed and JJ was gone, Hotch turned back to the still shaking girl sitting in his lap. She wasn't crying audibly anymore, but she had been crying so hard that her breaths were short and shaky.

"I'm sorry Hotch." She said, lifting her head from his shoulder and laughing softly. He could still hear the tears in her voice.

"Don't apologize. We all have nightmares." He replied. Noticing her eyes drifting shut, he nudged her gently.

"Let's get you cleaned up into bed sweetheart" He said, eyeing the gash on her forehead. It looked like it could need stitches, but he knew Emily would never agree to that right now.

He pulled her up with him when he stood up, and the blood rushed out of her head, making her sway. He steadied her with strong hands on her arms, and guided her gently to the bathroom.

She sat on the closed toilet seat while Hotch wet a washcloth and gently tended to her wound. He had a hand holding the back of her head, and his other hand dabbed gently at the semi dried blood on her skin.

By the time he was satisfied with his work, Emily was drifting off sitting up, he head leaning into his hand and her eyes closed.

He leaned down and tilted her his arms, before gently lifting her up. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and sighing contentedly.

He carried her back into the bedroom, pulling back the covers on the bed and gently laying her down. She whimpered at the loss of contact, but settled quickly when he pulled the blanket onto her.

Once he was confident she was asleep and would stay that way, he brushed his hand over her cheek and stood. He moved about the hotel room, turning on the bathroom light and cracking the door before turning off the lamp that had been illuminating the room.

Finally, he walked to JJ's bed and laid down. Taking one last glance at Emily's sleeping form, he let himself drift off, confident she was safe.


End file.
